Opening speech at the eighth World Futurological Congress at the Hotel Hilton Costa Rica in 2039

Speculative Pervasive Game

Staged at the Utopographies conference in March of 2014 at Chelsea School of Art & Design Triangle Space 'The Futurological Congress L.A.R.P.' was a Live Action Role Playing (LARP) performance. Based upon the satirical science fiction novel by the Polish Author Stanislaw Lem, the LARP attempts to facilitate a physical retelling of elements from the book by allowing participants to embody 'Futurologists' who are attending the fictional conference.

A pervasive narrative was woven through the deployment of urban camouflage capes, personalised Futurologist name cards, printed conference schedules, hotel vouchers and drinkable Cyrptochemical drinks. Establishing this temporary social structure, that is also a portrayal of an alternative reality, allows participants to interact with the story, conversing (in character) with each other and actors about the problems within this substitute reality. The elapsing of drama within the performance is steered vicariously by sound effects and Chinese whispers inducive of a personal understanding and experience of the events.